Small, often neglected, and eternally lost to the sinkhole that is the washer-dryer, but nonetheless: The humble sock is a wardrobe staple brimming with possibilities. And the designer printed sock in particular has been receiving plenty of attention these days after being spotted on the lengthy stems of Rihanna and Taylor Swift—further proof that this relatively small detail packs maximalist potential. And for fall, when the perfect sock paired with the equally underestimated loafer, a collision of charm occurs.

One’s colorful personality can’t help but reveal itself when a splashy pair of Stance socks peppered with playful beetles lines the soles of Gucci’s fire-engine red horsebit-detailed eel loafers. The frills of Comme des Garçons’s ivory net overlay socks play mercilessly with Erdem’s bow-embellished leather loafers to achieve a look that is frisky and tongue-in-cheek. The marriage of J.Crew’s eminently affordable buffalo-check trouser socks with Prada’s metallic wing-tip platform creeper is a quirky mash-up of high-low club kid. As Vogue.com Accessories Editor Brooke Ely Danielson explains, to keep things from getting too outré, the key is in contrasting solid footwear against embellished socks to create a well-heeled balance. It’s possibly the easiest way to elevate any look for fall.

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